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Happenings in CHS
Pennsylvania Counseling Association Conference
The Pennsylvania Counseling Association hosted this year’s fall conference November 3-5, 2017 in King of Prussia, PA. This year’s theme was Building Alliances: Working Together for Change. The University of Scranton was well represented at this year’s conference and many of our graduate students and faculty members presented.
Dr. Paul Datti and Dominick Petitto presented at the Pre-Conference institute, Transgressing Binaries: Towards a Multidimensional Understanding of Gender, Sexuality, and Intersections with Other Identities. Dr. Datti also presented (Re)defining the Relationship: Understanding Polyamory and Implications for Counselors. Dr. Leann Eschbach and Emily Lang presented on the Application of The Hope Centered Career Model for At Risk Youth and the Post-High School Transition. Gabriel Gross and Dr. Ben Willis presented on Navigating Death and Dying: An Identity and Relational Focused Approach. Dr. Kevin Wilkerson presented on Attending to Atheists: Counseling Perspectives for Professional Practice Kathryn Soeder and Dr. Katherine Purswell presented on Interpersonal Neurobiology and Attachment: Practical Implications for Counselors.
PCA is a state branch of the American Counseling Association, the national professional association that represents professional counselors who live and practice in the United States. PCA is an organization of professional counselors who value a collegial community, continuous learning, service to others, visionary leadership, and a commitment to professional ethics and standards of practice. Those interested in joining PCA should visit www.pacounseling.org.
Written by: Mara Wolfe
Happenings in CHS
Being apart of the OVR interviews was an amazing experience. The event not only benefited the students that came, but also gave the opportunity for graduate students to learn something new too. I found the interviewing process to be fun and educational. Being apart of this process taught me about future careers and populations I could work with. It’s something I have never experienced before and honestly I was a little nervous. These students came to me to practice interviewing for future employment and I had a bit of nostalgia because only two years ago, I was in my career seminar practicing interviewing for internships. In a way, I connected with these students because I have been in their position before. I used my knowledge and skills to work with these students to help them strengthen their own.
It was nice to see other parts of the event like Dress for Success. It gave the students a chance to learn how to properly dress for an interview. Which tied in well with the mock interviewing portion of the event. The students that I met during the interviews had personalities that were full of life and happiness. I could tell how appreciative they were to be at this event. Even if they were nervous during the interview, they managed to answer any question I gave them. Their answers to my questions were answered with confidence and passion and that showed me what true potential they have for future employment.
The students that I worked with were a positive reminder for me on why I chose this field of work. Being apart of opportunities like this one, continues to impact my life daily. I encourage those who missed this year’s event to try and participate next year. It truly was a rewarding experience to be a part of and I am looking forward to Elyse Travers the next one.
Happenings in CHS
Working with Assistive Technology
Greetings all, I wanted to take some time to share about the experience of working at the Summer Academy program this past summer. Through a partnership between the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, and several other key governmental organizations, the Summer Academy is hosted at Penn State University as a three week program for high school students who are blind and visually impaired, preparing for post-secondary level education. Here, students who wish to go to college or prepare for a career following high school, have the opportunity to further develop their independent living skills, traveling and networking skills, and skills related to assistive technology. As a graduate student in the Rehabilitation Counseling program at the University ofScranton, I can honestly say this experience with new technology opened my eyes to the many resources that are made available for people with visual impairments. Through the tech expo and courses run for using assistive software on the iphone, I witnessed a shift from accommodating people with disabilities to giving them full access to tools and information technology that they can use to be successful in careers and daily living. One device I saw and used at the tech expo was the google smart glasses paired with Aira, an app that brings independence and self-assurance into the lives of people who are visually impaired. Through this technology, users can connect to an online agent who receives video footage and a google map image of where the user is located. Through a built in speaker on the ear piece of the google smart glasses, app users can receive verbal instruction, description, and assistance detailing their surroundings and activity
Alex Malecki that is happening right in front of them. The second of many really cool devices that I saw was the OrCam Myeye device. The Orcam Myeye is a portable vision device that hooks up to one’s glasses and it can scan and read texts, identify faces, and read labels during shopping. This device blew my mind, and I thought about what the future holds for people with disabilities as technology continues to grow and expand to unmeasurable limits. Where technology helps make things easier for people without disabilities, it also helps make tasks possible for a person with a disability. Empowerment is a crucial aspect focused on at the Summer Academy and I truly believe that this work experience gave me to chance to learn more about accessibility and it helped me grow as a Rehabilitation Counselor in the making.
Thank you for your time, Alex Malecki
Happenings in CHS
Post Secondary Education Readiness Night
On September 26, 2017, fifteen students from the University of Scranton Graduate Counseling Program made the hour long journey to Wyalusing Valley High School to provide information sessions to 10th-12th grade students and their parents focusing on preparing for their post secondary education and life after high school. This event was planned in conjunction with the Wyalusing Area High School and Towanda Area High School Guidance Departments. Dr. Eschbach, Dr. Cerrito and the University of Scranton graduate counseling students participating in practicum or internship. Work station topics included: How to Select a Major, Minors/Concentrations/Tracks, How to Select a College, College Scorecard, A Guide to College Housing, The College Application Process, How to Visit a College, The Common Application, A Crash Course in Financial Aid, Registering for the SAT/ACT, and Making Responsible Financial Decisions. In addition to the work stations, there was a mini local college fair with representatives attending from the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Wilkes University, Corning Area Community College, Luzerne County Community College, Lackawanna College, Lackawanna College’s School of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, King’s College, and Keystone College. Overall, the event was considered a great success! Many high school students and parents commented on how valuable the information presented was. Over 75 high school students and parents attended the event from three different area school districts including: Wyalusing Valley, Towanda Area, and Tunkhannock Area. Attendees who completed the pre/ post surveys also were eligible to win door prizes that were donated by local area businesses and the postsecondary institutions that attended. A big thanks goes out to the University of Scranton Admissions Office as they were gracious enough to provide the refreshments and folders for attendees!
Written By: Jerika Cummiskey Practicum Student Participant
Pictured left to right: Back Row: Stephanie Mereday, Dr. Julie Cerrito, Jerika Cummiskey, Kelly Styczynski, Zachary Watters, Noel Furman, Emma Keyes, Dr. Lee Ann Eschbach, Allison Smith, Nicole Gaetano. Front Row: Casey Scafella, Angela Pesce, Brianna Polluck, Kelsey Loftus, Christina Brislin, Sarah Halpin, Sara Studenski
Happenings in CHS
Digging Deeper: Sandtray Therapy with Pre-Adolescents, Teens, and Adults A Workshop with Dr. Katie Purswell
Earlier in the semester, CMHC Co-Director Dr. Purswell led an engaging, 6-hour training on the innovative expressive modality of sandtray therapy. This unique form of therapy, which gained popularity in the 1970s and even more recognition as a counseling technique just recently, can be used with clients ranging from pre-adolescence to adulthood. Dr. Purswell explained sandtray therapy as an approach that involves using miniature items or figurines in sand to allow clients the opportunity to make internal processes and feelings more external, thereby allowing clients to better understand and see what they are feeling and find new ways to talk about these feelings. One of the major benefits of this therapy is that it does not require individuals to talk specifically about what is happening to them, but rather, they can speak in a metaphorical perspective. For example, instead of asking the client how the dragon miniature relates to his or her own life, the counselor might ask them to explain how the dragon is feeling. This innovative approach to counseling is new for most people in the field, but Dr. Purswell has received extensive training in sandtray therapy and often incorporates it into her own work. Dr. Purswell was very happy with how the workshop she led went, and shared that she got great feedback after the event. She hoped to make the workshop practical by teaching clients about the therapy and then allowing them to practice it and try it out themselves. Dr. Purswell believes this approach can be beneficial for clients dealing with a variety of issues, and hopes more professionals will consider learning about and implementing it in the near future.
